I don’t play WAR anymore, but I still feel pretty safe calling bullshit on this one. Dueling is a very social thing. While I’m so sorry that Mythic and GOA actually have to deal with people playing their game not a bunch of mindless robots who live only for the thrill of battle, society and MMOs kind of go together. No Mythic, not making a dance command does not somehow prevent your players from displaying humanity while playing the game.

But back to GOA, for whom I have one question… Really!? I mean people having duels is somehow going to break everyone’s precious illusion of WAR being about warfare? Gee, I think if they can get past major strategic landmarks being defended by a handful of troops and conquerable by under one hundred of the worst soldiers in history, engaging purely in skirmish warfare without the benefit of formations, supply lines or fucking army leadership, maybe, just maybe, they’ll get past a few people fighting by themselves off in a corner! Or am I the only one who thought it was strange that the great and terrible armies of destruction and the majestic defenders of light are pretty much off duty outside of prime time, and when their on duty they run around like chickens with their heads cut off without the barest hint of discipline or leadership. But then, I also find it strange that we’re fighting in cordoned off areas for the ownership of three bedroom apartmentskeeps, with weapons and armor that our enemies not only don’t steal from us, but that are spiritually welded to the core of our being such that even in death they don’t come off.

All of this shouldn’t ruin the fun of most people, it sucks mine away like a fucking chest wound but then I take the time to ponder military tactics and grand strategy. In and of itself it’s all fine, but when you start telling people trying to have fun that they should fuck off because “it doesn’t go well with the WAR setting” you should be more than willing to eat your own god damn medicine. Not that anyone at GOA or Mythic is ever going to read this.

***

With some time to think about it, the tone of this post is probably too strong… but I think that improves the writing and I don’t feel like pussifying it. Suffice it to say, I do realize Magnus wasn’t being terribly absolute and was trying to be diplomatic. That does not, however, make the argument any more sane in my mind.